Vehicle running-gear.



PATENTBD MAR. 24, 1903.

No. 723,519. f

. E. L. FARMS.

VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

.APPLICATION IILB) JAN. 12, 1903 N0 MODEL.

im l' 1 f 7,4 /Z /06L l UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

EMORY L. FARRIS, OF LONDON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO MADISONBOWLING, OF LONDON, KENTUCKY.

VEHICLE RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,519, dated March24, 1903.

Application iiled January 12, 1903. Serial No. 138,702. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMORY L. FAERIs, a citizen of the United States,residingat London, in the county of Laurel and State of Keutucky, haveinvented a new and useful Vehi.

cle Running-Gear, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle runninggears, and has for its objectsto produce a de- Io vice of this character which will be simple ofconstruction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, efficient inoperation, and one in which the rear axle and reach-beam will controlthe lateral movements of the vehicler 5 body and the front axle have aswinging movement in a vertical plane independently of the movements ofsaid parts, thus obviating all twisting or otherwise straining of thefifth-wheel. zo The invention comprises the details of construction andcombination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of theimproved running-gear. 5 .z 5 Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionalelevation o f the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation illustrating theindependent swinging movements of the axles. Y

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the 3o rear axle, and 2 the frontaxle. These parts may be of any suitable material and of the usual orany desired construction with the exception of the changes, hereinafterpointed out, necessary in applying the present invention thereto.

4 indicates the reach-beam, preferably tubular in cross-section andhaving its rear end bifurcated, the bifurcated portion being bent atright angles to the reach-beam to form 4o horizontal arms 5, which areattached by bolts or other suitable means to the rear axle. Thisreach-beam extends longitudinally of the vehicle-body and has its frontend mounted in a collar 6, formed on the lower face of the frontspring-rest 7 and secured in place thereon by means of a vertical bolt8, which secures the spring-rest iixedly to the reachbeam and insuresthe spring-rest and rear axle having the same swinging or rocking 5omovement laterally, due to the rear wheels traveling over uneven ground,and imparting such movement to the vehicle-body, which is sustained,respectively, at its front and rear ends by the said spring-rest andrear axle.

9 indicates ahollow sleeve or casing mount- 55 ed upon the front end ofthe reach-beam and adapted to rotate freely with -relation thereto. Thiscasing is provided near its front end with a vertical recess 10, intowhich the projection on the lower face of the 'front spriug- 6o rest 7projects to be received and carried by the front end of the rear beam.

10cb is the vertical king-bolt, which in accordance with the presentinvention is carried by and depends vertically from the casing 9. Thisking-bolt may either be formed integral with the casing, as hereinshown, or have its upper end threaded and screwed into the lower face ofthe casing. The front axle 2 is provided with a rearwardly-extending 7chorizontal semicircular protuberance 11, provided with a vertical holefor the reception of the king-bolt and by which the`front axle andcasing 9 are connected together. The protuberance 11 may be formedintegral with 75 the axle or may be a separate part secured thereto bybolts or otherwise and is susceptible of swinging freely upon theking-bolt to permit the axle to turn in a horizontal plane for guidi-ngthe vehicle in the usual 8o manner.

12 indicates a brace member in the form of a metal plate screwed at itsfront end onto the lower end of the king-bolt and projecting rearwardlyand upwardly and connected at its rear end to the casing 9 by means of asuitable bolt 13.

14 indicates a spring-plate or the like pivoted to the brace member andhaving its free end recessed to form arms which lie at op--go positesides of the head of the bolt 13 to prevent the same becoming loosened.The brace member serves the double function of strengthening the partsand preventing the escape of the front axle from the king-bolt.

From the foregoing it will be seen that owing to the reachbeam beingfree to rotate in the casing andhaving the frontspring-scat or headiixed thereto the rear axle may swing or rock freely in a vertical planeto accommodate the rear axle to any irregularities of the groundencountered by the rear wheels and that the Vehicle-body will moveentirely with these parts, While at the same time the front axle willhave an independent rocking or swinging movement to accommodate the sameto any irregularities which may be encountered by the front wheel.Consequently the rear axle may tip upward from left to right, as shownin Fig. 3, at the same time that the front axle tips upward from rightto left Without injuriously twisting or straining the parts in theslightest degree.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- In a Vehiclerunning-gear, the combination with the rear axle, of a reach-beamconnected therewith, a tubular casing mounted on the EMORY L. FARRIS.

Witnesses:

H. T. TROEPER, W. E. EVANS.

